On 16 February, the Mobile World Congress begins and rumours have already started spreading on the new phones set to make an appearance. The most anticipated mobiles are ones running the Android platform. Already we've seen leaked photos of the T-Mobile 'G2' and news that Huawei is going to unveil an Android handset.

Another highly anticipated device is the Palm Pre -- a massive surprise compared to last year's lacklustre offerings. Palm has instantly gone from a confused company to one with the potential to take a large bite out of the iPhone's market share. Touchscreen phones aside, this year's MWC will hopefully deliver more innovations around mobile apps and social-networking features.

Some of the most exciting developments this year will see hardware take a back seat and mobile software finally do what it says on the tin. From GPS to apps that help you diet, the mobile platforms are now here to make them all work well. The full potential of Internet connectivity on the go will be unleashed this year and I'm very excited about it.

It's not all good news -- certain companies are struggling to stay afloat and MWC will most likely be a final farewell for some brands. Hopefully though, 2009 will be a positive year for the mobile industry and those who don't make it will move on to bigger and better things. Make sure to check out all our coverage from the 16th onwards.